Hand protector for use with sports equipment

Abstract

A hand protector is for use with sports equipment having an elongated shaft and an operative end. The hand protector has an outer protective sleeve and a inner sleeve. The outer protective sleeve has a first end and a second end. The tubular inner sleeve is generally flexible and tubular for slidably receiving the shaft. The inner sleeve is positioned within the outer protective sleeve and is engaged with the first end of the outer protective sleeve. The inner sleeve has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer protective sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the inner sleeve, whereby a user places a hand around the outer surface of the inner sleeve and compresses the outer surface to cause the inner surface to deflect inward and grip the shaft, thereby increasing a frictional engagement of the hand protector with the shaft.

I/We claim:  
     
     
         1 . A hand protector for use with sports equipment having an elongated shaft and an operative end, the hand protector comprising: 
 an outer protective sleeve having a first end and a second end; and    a generally flexible tubular inner sleeve for slidably receiving the shaft, the inner sleeve being positioned within the outer protective sleeve and being engaged with the first end of the outer protective sleeve, the inner sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer protective sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the inner sleeve, whereby a user places a hand around the outer surface of the inner sleeve and compresses the outer surface to cause the inner surface to deflect inward and grip the shaft, thereby increasing a frictional engagement of the hand protector with the shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The hand protector of  claim 1 , wherein the inner sleeve is positioned within the outer protective sleeve such that the hand of the user is at least partially surrounded by the outer protective sleeve when the hand is gripping the outer surface of the inner sleeve.  
     
     
         3 . The hand protector of  claim 2 , wherein the outer protective sleeve is generally cup-shaped.  
     
     
         4 . The hand protector of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the inner sleeve is generally rectangular.  
     
     
         5 . Combination sports stick and protector therefor, the combination comprising: 
 a stick having an elongated shaft and an operative end; and    a hand protector having an outer protective sleeve having a first end and a second end and a generally flexible tubular inner sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner sleeve being positioned within the outer protective sleeve and being engaged with the first end of the outer protective sleeve such that the outer protective sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the inner sleeve, the inner sleeve slidably receiving the shaft, the shaft being positioned within the inner sleeve, such that at least a portion of the shaft is surrounded by the inner sleeve, whereby a user places a hand around the outer surface of the inner sleeve and compresses the outer surface to cause the inner surface to deflect inward and grip the shaft, thereby increasing a frictional engagement of the hand protector with the shaft.    
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 5 , wherein the inner sleeve is positioned within the outer protective sleeve such that the hand of the user is at least partially surrounded by the outer protective sleeve when the hand is gripping the outer surface of the inner sleeve.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the outer protective sleeve is generally cup-shaped.  
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 5 , wherein the cross-section of the inner sleeve is generally rectangular.